Modeling Zoos and Aquariums as Inclusive Communities of Science: Developing a framework of inclusive practices for broadening the participation of autistic individuals

该奖项全部或部分由《2021年美国救援计划法案》（公法117-2）资助。多年来，动物园和水族馆一直在为自闭症患者提供节目、活动和参观住宿。虽然这些努力可以提供很棒的体验，但它们更多地关注住宿和面向外部的客人体验，而不是包容性。在动物园和水族馆的设计、编程和代表中缺乏包容性，最终限制了充分的包容性，并增加了自闭症患者的归属感和不受欢迎的感觉。为了给自闭症患者提供一个完全包容的体验，该项目将为动物园和水族馆制定一个基于证据的包容实践框架，并建立一个广泛包容的实践社区。该项目汇集了来自俄勒冈州立大学、范德比尔特肯尼迪中心自闭症谱系障碍治疗和研究所以及动物园和水族馆协会的研究人员。研究人员将创建和调查研究知情框架和相关工具（即案例研究，讨论指南，自我指导审计等）和策略支持自闭症患者科学学习的程度和方式，并通过应用项目，展览开发，实习，志愿者机会和就业的包容性实践，帮助从业者扩大对自闭症受众的访问和包容，超越特殊事件或一般访问经验。为了最大限度地发挥影响，该项目将发展和扩大早期采用者的网络，以建立一个围绕包容性实践的实践社区，为所有个体开发完全包容性的动物园和水族馆体验。该项目将调查4个研究问题：(1)动物园和水族馆目前以何种方式和在多大程度上解决自闭症患者的接触和包容问题？(2)动物园和水族馆的工作人员如何看待他们和他们的机构在解决自闭症患者的准入和包容问题方面的意愿和能力？(3)在动物园和水族馆体验中，包容自闭症个体的循证实践框架是什么？需要哪些相关的工具和策略，才能使该框架对早期采用者有用？(4)具有相关工具和策略的研究知情框架在多大程度上、以何种方式参与、支持和加强现有的从业者社区，这些从业者已经致力于解决自闭症受众的问题，并促进动物园和水族馆为自闭症患者提供包容性实践？该项目分为两个阶段：(1)研究和开发支持自闭症患者的包容性实践框架和工具；(2)扩大早期采用者网络，围绕包容性实践和总体实施战略建立一个实践社区。该框架将通过动物园/水族馆领域的实地研究状态来提供信息，该研究包括景观研究和需求评估，以及文献综述，这些文献综述综合了跨学科的现有研究，以便为动物园和水族馆的自闭症患者制定包容性实践。该团队还将进行在线调查和焦点小组，以收集各种利益相关者的意见，包括动物园和水族馆的员工和从业人员，自闭症患者及其社会群体（如家庭成员，同龄人，倡导组织）。研究的第二阶段将侧重于与动物园/水族馆领域的从业者分享框架和工具，以获得反馈和反思，以制定更广泛实施的总体战略，并扩大动物园和水族馆专业人员的现有网络，建立一个致力于全面包容自闭症患者的实践社区。研究结果将通过会议报告、学术出版物、在线论坛和合作伙伴的网站进行传播。该项目是第一个在动物园和水族馆的背景下关注自闭症观众的项目之一，也是第一个通过项目/活动、展览、志愿服务、实习和就业机会来了解自闭症顾客在动物园和水族馆的完整体验的项目。作为项目的一部分进行的过程评估将探讨该项目中采用的方法如何更广泛地应用于理解和促进对其他历史上被动物园和水族馆服务不足或边缘化的观众的包容。这项服务于实践的研究项目得到了推进非正式STEM学习（AISL）计划的支持，该计划旨在(a)推进非正式环境中STEM学习设计和开发的新方法和基于证据的理解；(b)提供多种途径，以扩大获得和参与STEM学习经验的机会；(c)推进非正式环境中STEM学习的创新研究和评估；(d)让所有年龄段的公众在非正式环境中学习STEM。非正式的环境。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).Zoos and aquariums have been offering programming, events, and visit accommodations to autistic individuals for several years. While these efforts can provide great experiences, they are focused more on accommodation and the outward-facing guest experience than inclusion. Lack of inclusion features in design, programming, and representation amongst zoo and aquarium representatives, ultimately limits full inclusion and adds to a sense in autistic individuals of not belonging and not being welcomed. To develop a fully inclusive experience for autistic individuals, this project will develop an evidence-based framework of inclusive practices for zoos and aquariums and build a community of practice around inclusion broadly. The project brings together researchers from Oregon State University, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Researchers will create and investigate the extent and ways in which a research-informed framework and associated tools (i.e. case studies, discussion guides, self-guided audits, etc.) and strategies support science learning for autistic individuals, and help practitioners expand access and inclusion of autistic audiences beyond special events or the general visit experience by applying inclusive practices for programs, exhibit development, internships, volunteer opportunities, and employment. To maximize impact, the project will develop and expand a network of early adopters to build a community of practice around inclusive practices to develop fully inclusive zoo and aquarium experiences for all individuals.The project will investigate 4 research questions: (1) In what ways and to what extent are zoos and aquariums currently addressing access and inclusion for autistic individuals? (2) How do staff in zoos and aquariums perceive their and their institution’s willingness and ability to address access and inclusion for autistic individuals? (3) What is a framework of evidence-based practices across the zoo and aquarium experience that is inclusive for autistic individuals, and what associated tools and strategies are needed to make the framework useful for early adopters? And (4) to what extent and in what ways does a research informed framework with associated tools and strategies engage, support, and enhance an existing community of practitioners already dedicated to addressing autistic audiences and promote inclusive practices at zoos and aquariums for autistic people? The project is designed as two phases: (1) the research and development of a framework of inclusive practices and tools for supporting autistic individuals and (2) expanding a network of early adopters to build a community of practice around inclusive practices and an overall strategy of implementation. The framework will be informed through a state of the field study across the zoo/aquarium field that includes a landscape study and needs assessment as well as a review of literature that synthesizes existing research across disciplines for developing inclusive practices for autistic individuals in zoos and aquariums. The team will also conduct online surveys and focus groups to gather input from various stakeholders including zoo and aquarium employees and practitioners, autistic individuals, and their social groups (e.g., family members, peers, advocacy organizations). The second phase of the study will focus on sharing the framework and tools with practitioners across the zoo/aquarium field for feedback and reflection to develop an overall strategy for broader implementation and expanding the existing network of zoo and aquarium professionals to build a community of practice dedicated to the comprehensive inclusion of autistic individuals across the full zoo and aquarium experience. The results will be disseminated through conference presentations, scholarly publications, online discussion forums, and collaborative partners’ websites. The project represents one of the first of its kind on autistic audiences within the zoo and aquarium context and is the first to look at the full experience of autistic patrons to zoos and aquariums across programs/events, exhibits, volunteering, internship, and employment opportunities. A process evaluation conducted as part of the project will explore how the approach taken in this project may be more broadly applied in understanding and advancing inclusion for other audiences historically underserved or marginalized by zoos and aquariums.This Research in Service to Practice project is supported by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program, which seeks to (a) advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments; (b) provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; (c) advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments; and (d) engage the public of all ages in learning STEM in informal environments. informal environments.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.